The present invention relates to a method for decontaminating toxic chemical agents, commonly referred to as nerve agents and blister agents. These agents are of potential use in the battlefield and hence represent a serious threat to military personnel. To combat this threat various types of protective clothing and accessory equipment have been developed. However, such protective clothing and equipment must be decontaminated after they have been exposed to these chemical agents in the battlefield.
In the past the most effective methods for decontaminating such chemical agents have involved treating the contaminated items with bleach (aqueous calcium hypochlorite) or aqueous sodium hydroxide solution containing diethylenetriamine. These methods are not entirely satisfactory, since they employ solutions which are corrosive, hazardous and often have a serious adverse effect on the mechanical properties and function of the items treated. The use of steam autoclaving as well as general wet laundering and dry cleaning methods for decontaminating such items has been found costly, time consuming and impractical in certain situations and hence generally unsatisfactory. It has been reported from the Democratic German Republic that material exposed to the nerve agents Sarin and Soman can be effectively decontaminated by treatment with vapors of 10% aqueous ammonia solution; and ammonia and its derivatives, such as amines, were recommended as universal decontaminants. It has also been proposed to employ gaseous chlorine for deactivating such chemical agents but the results produced are deficient for various reasons.
An object of the present invention is to provide a process for deactivating nerve and blister agents at a rapid rate in gaseous or non-gaseous phase.
Another object of the invention is to provide a process for rapidly decontaminating clothing and other items exposed to such chemical agents without serious adverse effect on the mechanical properties of such items.
A further object of the invention is to provide a process whereby large quantities of clothing and other items contaminated with such chemical agents can be rapidly and safely decontaminated in a practical manner.
Other objects will become apparent from the following description of this invention.